A Match Made In Heaven
by littlemissbad
Summary: This is yet another story of Melinda and Jim but in a different way then you might have expected.
1. Chapter 1

A Match Made In Heaven

Chapter 1

Melinda Gordon sipped her coffee and sighed. She had finally come to a decision one that was definitely not easy to make, considering the circumstances, but one that had to be made.

20 minutes later her husband had finally arrived home. It had probably been a late night at the college again considering his class was supposed to have ended hours ago.

"Honey, I'm home," Rick said a little exhausted. Melinda sighed, she wasn't sure how he would take it but she knew it had to be done.

"Rick, I'm right here," Melinda said softly.

"Oh hi," he said pecking her cheek. Melinda smiled a little at his greeting. "Where are the girls?" he asked. Melinda glared at him.

"Hmm let's see it's nearly 10:30, where do you think they are, Rick?" she asked him obviously annoyed.

"In bed?" he guessed feeling a little cowardly to answer. Melinda just glared back at him and walked over to the couch with her husband following close behind. Once the two were both seated Melinda began her little speech.

"Look Rick, we need to talk."

"Okay, shoot."

"Well I haven't been happy with our marriage for a while and I've been telling you this constantly for the past year but yet I'm still unhappy and I think something needs to happen."

"Great, I'll book a marriage counsellor and we can figure this thing out." Melinda sighed and smiled a little at the same time. He always had a solution didn't he.

"No Rick. That's not that kind of thing I think needs to happen. Marriage counselling was months ago. I'm talking about a divorce." Rick's eyes went wide.

"W-what do you mean? What about the girls?" Rick said practically screaming.

"Rick, lower your voice, the girls are sleeping!" Melinda yelled in a whisper.

"Sorry if I'm a little upset here Melinda but you just asked for a divorce. How should I react?" Rick said still yelling.

"You can try for once in your god damn life to understand why and stop being so damn selfish! Jesus Rick, you don't get it do you? I'm tired of waiting till 10:30 for you to come home. I'm tired of having to tuck your girls in at night, telling them that you'll do something with them that you never do! And I'm tired of having you come home smelling like alcohol!" Rick just looked to the floor. "Yes I know that you're still drinking even though you promised that you'd go to those AA meetings. They never happened did they?"

"I went to one," Rick volunteered quietly.

"And why the hell should I believe that? Rick what happens when you drive home drunk, yet again and you just don't make it. See I wish you'd think about that when you get behind that wheel but the problem is, you're too selfish too and I'm done living with it," Melinda finished with tears in her eyes. She walked up to the stairs then turned around again. "You missed my birthday, Rick. You missed Kenzie's recital," Melinda said with a sniffle.

"Mel I-"

"Don't call me that, you don't deserve to," she said turning to walk up the stairs.

"Melinda, where the hell am I going to sleep?" Melinda turned around once again and pretended to ponder on this idiotic question. "Hmmm maybe outside, yeah I think that will be best."

"Melinda you can't be serious," Rick said hoping she was just in fact, kidding.

"No Rick, I'm not. Personally I don't think animals should be in the house but I suppose that's just a personal choice," she said with an evil smile. Rick just looked at her absolutely dumbfounded. Melinda smiled again then continued to walk up to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I haven't updated this story in like EVER but anyway here it is. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed for my puny little chapter:P**

Chapter 2

The next day Melinda awoke to find Rick missing. She smiled. Obviously he had gotten the message that he wasn't welcome here. Melinda smiled again then picked up the phone and dialled her mother's number.

"Hello?" Beth said at the other end.

"Oh hi Mom. Listen I was wondering if I could drop the girls off for a couple hours just so I can get things uh taken care of."

"Of course the girls can come hang out with me for a little while. So did you tell him then?"

"Oh yes. I think he definitely gets the message but I would like to keep the girls out of it for as long as possible. They don't need to see us like this."

"Of course. So drop them off in an hour?"

"Sounds great, bye mom."

"Bye dear." Melinda hung up then walked up the stairs to get the girls and herself ready. Today was going to be a long day but she had to be prepared for it.

An hour later Melinda arrived at her lawyer's office.

"Hello Martha," Melinda said warmly to the receptionist.

"Hello Melinda. Tom will be with you in a minute." Melinda nodded in acknowledgment. A minute later Tom walked around the corner with a vibrant smile upon his face.

"Melinda," he said warmly.

"Hi Tom, how are you?"

"I'm great. Why don't we take a seat in my office?" Melinda nodded and followed Tom. "So Melinda, what can I do for you?" asked Tom once the two had sat down.

"Well...I want a divorce and I need you to be my lawyer." Tom gasped.

"You and Rick? I would have never guessed. You two always looked so happy together."

"Well looks can be deceiving. Listen I need another favour."

"Sure, anything for you."

"Okay well I need you not to say anything to the girls. They don't know that Rick and I are getting a divorce and I'd like it to stay that way for as long as possible."

"Of course...It'll break their hearts you know," Tom said looking Melinda straight in the eyes. Melinda sighed.

"I know but I don't think I can do this anymore. It's for the better...trust me," she said putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay well if we're going to do this, we need to get through a lot of paper work so why don't you go get some coffee or something and we'll meet back here in ten."

"Sounds great, I've got a feeling I'll need some caffeine," she said walking out of his office.

"I'll get a herbal tea please," Melinda said to the woman at the counter.

"Sure, that will be 3.75," the woman answered. Melinda nodded and paid the amount then walked outside with her tea spilling it all over a man.

"Oh my god! I'm SO sorry!" she said frantically trying to clean up the tea she had dumped all over him. The man smiled.

"It's fine. It looks like you have a lot on your mind right now anyway." Melinda smiled and looked at him closely. His face had this sense of security and friendliness that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Jim. Jim Clancy," he said holding out his hand. Melinda shook it politely.

"Melinda Gordon. It's nice to meet you."

"You too. Maybe I'll see you around some time," he said before crossing the street. Melinda nodded and smiled at herself. One day she would think back to him as the one who got away.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A few weeks later the divorce was final and now the two were fighting it out in a custody battle for the girls. Lately it had been rather nasty so Melinda decided to treat herself to a nice cup of tea with her best friend Andrea Moreno.

"Here you go sweetie," Andrea said placing two cups of steaming coffee on the table at Village Java.

"Thanks, it's good to know I still have my friends."

"Oh sweetie you'll always have me now let's ignore this whole mess for an hour and just talk." Melinda smiled.

"Sounds good."

"So how are the girls?"

"Great. Kenzie won her soccer game last night and Maddie has her recital next week along with another court meeting."

"Hey, remember? We're putting the mess aside for an hour." Melinda rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry it's just so hard to think that I might lose my girls."

"Sweetie, you're not gonna lose them. After everything you've done for them? Face it, you have a much better case then Rick will _ever_ have."

"The girls are going to hate me when this is all over."

"No they're not and one day when they're older, they'll look back on this and thank you for thinking of their best interests."

"I know but-"

"No buts Melinda, he's an alcoholic. That doesn't look too good in a hearing and that's definitely not good for Kenzie and Maddie."

"Yeah I guess you're right."

"I ALWAYS am," Andrea said with a sly smile. Just then a tall very handsome man walked into the coffee shop. Melinda looked around curiously and gasped.

"Oh my gosh! That's him!" Andrea looked very confused.

"That's who?"

"That's the guy I spilled me tea all over!"

"Ohhh that sexy beast," Andrea said raising her eyebrows as she took a sip of her coffee.

"Andrea!"

"What he's a hottie let's not deny it and I think you're quite the hottie yourself. Look he's coming over here."

"Hey," Jim said warmly.

"Hi I uh...didn't think I'd see you again."

"I told you I'd see you around. I mean in a small town like this, it's impossible not to." Melinda smiled. She really liked this guy but was it too soon? It had only been a few weeks since the divorce had become final and what about the girls? They'd be devastated to know their mother was dating only weeks after the divorce and what if they didn't like him? _Dating just got 10 times harder_, she thought to herself. "Uh Melinda?" asked Jim politely.

"Sorry," she said," I was just uh daydreaming." Jim gave her a funny look.

"Right well listen, my lunch break is over in about two minutes so why don't we meet up for dinner sometime. I know just the place. I mean suggesting that you're single of course." She showed up her naked finger and smiled.

"Not anymore."

"Okay well how does Friday night sound? I'll pick you up say around 7?" Melinda nodded.

"That sounds fantastic. Here, I'll give you my address."

"Ah, no need. I'm a paramedic, trust me, I'll find your house besides I'd probably lose the address anyway. I don't have a very good memory. Well I'll see you then."

"Yeah, see you then." Jim waved then disappeared into the sunlight.

"Well somebody just got themselves a date," Andrea said smiling.

"I did, didn't I."

"Yes and one very hot one I might add."

"Hmm Mrs. Melinda Clancy, that sounds great doesn't it?"

"Oh god Melinda, please don't write Mrs. Melinda Clancy all over your notebooks now. Besides why would you take his name anyway? You didn't take Rick's."

"Well that's because I didn't want to be known as Mrs. Payne in the ass unlike Mr. Payne in the ass." Andrea couldn't help but smirk. "What? It's true!"

"Oh it so is honey, that's why it's so hilarious!" Melinda smiled. She had finally found the fun part of divorce: bashing her ex!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

That Friday, Melinda spent all day getting ready. She really wanted this date to go well and she was going to do everything she could to make sure it went that way.

At exactly 7 o'clock that evening, Jim arrived at Melinda's doorstep with a bouquet of flowers in hand. He rang the doorbell and waited for her to answer the door. Within minutes a very beautiful Melinda answered the door.

"Hi," she said smiling brightly.

"Hi, uh these are for you," he said handing her the flowers. Melinda smelled them and smiled.

"Oh Jim, that's so sweet of you."

"Well I figured a beautiful woman such as you needed some beautiful flowers, plus my mother would slap me if she ever found out I had showed up for a date without flowers." Melinda smiled.

"You're mother sounds like a very wise woman." Jim smiled back.

"Well shall we get going?"

"That sounds great," Melinda said. Jim smiled then walked over and opened the car door for her. Melinda smiled. "You are so sweet!"

Jim smiled then climbed into the driver's seat and started the car.

Melinda took a bite of her food and smiled.

"Jim, this is amazing!" Jim beamed back at her. He had taken her to a new restaurant that had just opened up and the food was just phenomenal.

"I thought you'd like it."

"Rick would never have done this for me," she said. Jim took another bite of his own food.

"Who's Rick?" Melinda gasped. How could she have forgotten to tell him?

"Oh I totally forgot! Rick is my ex."

"You're divorced?" Jim asked a little surprised.

"Yes, with two girls."

"You have kids?" Jim asked, again surprised.

"Yes. Kenzie is 7 and Maddie is 6." Jim smiled. "What?"

"I just don't know how I missed it. I mean you totally seem like the mothering type."

"Well I'm not sure how much longer that's going to last."

"What do you mean?" Jim asked before taking another bite of his meal.

"Rick and I are fighting for custody right now and it's getting pretty nasty. I just...I can't lose my girls. I love them too much and to even think of not being able to see them it's just...it's unbearable," Melinda finished with tears in her eyes. Jim put and hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, from what I've seen, there is no way they could take those girls from you." Melinda smiled a little.

"Thanks."

"Hey what do you say we leave here and head to one of my favourite places in this whole world?" Melinda nodded.

"That sounds nice." Jim smiled and put some money on the table for the bill.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jim said, holding out his hand. Melinda smiled and took it.

"This is beautiful," Melinda said about half an hour later. The two had arrived at a beautiful beach with the sun just setting.

"My mother brought my brother and me here after my father had passed away. We didn't even stay for the whole funeral," Jim said chuckling a little. "I've been coming here ever since." Melinda rolled over.

"I'm so sorry about your father." Jim looked over and cupped her face in his hands.

"Don't be," he said ever so gently. Melinda closed her eyes and let his lips come closer, enveloping them in a sweet, sincere kiss. One unlike any other kiss she had ever been given. Jim kissed her again then quickly pulled away. "I'm sorry," he said. Melinda cupped his face in her hands.

"Don't be," she said. Jim smiled.

"It's getting late. I should probably take you home to your girls."

"Yes, my mother might just kill me if I leave them there any longer."

"Oh, they're at your mother's house?" Melinda nodded. "Well why don't I drive you out there to pick them up then drive you all back home? It would save you a trip."

"Are you sure? It's a little ways out."

"It's no big deal, really. Besides I'd love to meet your girls." Melinda smiled.

"Well thank-you. I'd like you to meet them too." Jim smiled then took her hand and walked her over to his car.


End file.
